Feeling the warmth of Lin Shuo's palm, Huo Yu'er blushed faintly and gave his hand a gentle squeeze to show him she was all right.
Dai Yueheng's gaze remained fixed on Lin Shuo. He had heard about the grudge between Lin Shuo and Dai Huabin long ago, and Dai Huabin had approached him about it before.
But it was precisely because he was in the inner courtyard, where he could learn how seriously the academy regarded Lin Shuo, that Dai Yueheng had stopped Dai Huabin from seeking revenge. He was worried it would affect his own standing.
After Dai Yueheng, a tall, slender young man with a gentle expression stepped forward. "Inner courtyard, Chen Zifeng. Level fifty-seven Power Attack System Battle Soul King. Martial Soul: Soul-Chasing Sword."
After Chen Zifeng, a short-haired female student with ordinary looks stepped forward. "Inner courtyard, Xi Xi. Level fifty-six Agility Attack System Battle Soul King. Martial Soul: Lightning Leopard."
Xi Xi gave people an ordinary impression, the sort that left no lasting memory.
After Xi Xi, a girl with a cool, aloof air stepped forward. She was beautiful, with pale, icy skin.
"Inner courtyard, Ling Luochеn. Level fifty-five Control System Battle Soul King. Martial Soul: Ice Element."
"Inner courtyard, Yao Haoxuan. Level fifty-five Control and Support System Battle Soul King. Martial Soul: Sky-Shaking Ape." Yao Haoxuan was a short, slender young man with a pair of bright, alert eyes.
After Yao Haoxuan, the last student to step forward was a handsome young man with delicate features.
"Inner courtyard, Gongyang Mo. Level fifty-nine Support System Battle Soul King. Martial Soul: Rainbow Dragon."
Though the Rainbow Dragon belonged to the dragon race, it had no offensive abilities whatsoever. Its support abilities, however, were powerful. Rainbow Dragons usually appeared as dragon consorts.
Only powerful dragons had Rainbow Dragons at their sides.
Gongyang Mo's gaze lingered on Lin Shuo. He could feel the excitement and exhilaration stirring in his Martial Soul. He had long heard that Lin Shuo possessed a dragon Martial Soul rarely seen in the world. Now that they stood face-to-face, the faint aura of a higher-ranking dragon made his blood run faintly hot. As expected, the rumors hadn't exaggerated.
Xuan Zi nodded slightly, his cloudy old eyes sweeping over everyone present. "All right, you've had a brief introduction. Today's training task is a friendly match, so you can get to know one another's abilities. Xiaotao, you and Yueheng will each lead a team. Ma Xiaotao, your cultivation is the highest, so Dai Yueheng and Lin Shuo will be on the same team. Dai Yueheng may choose only one more inner-courtyard teammate. You choose first."
The inner-courtyard students looked at Lin Shuo in surprise. They knew the academy valued him, but he was only a Soul Ancestor. They hadn't expected Elder Xuan to think so highly of him. After all, they were all inner-courtyard students, each of whom had demonstrated considerable ability just to earn a place there. In their view, no matter how the teams were chosen, Dai Yueheng's side couldn't beat Ma Xiaotao's. Ma Xiaotao had five official team members on her side.
Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng stepped forward and took their places at a distance from each other.
Dai Yueheng didn't hesitate for long. "For an official team member, I'll take Gongyang Mo. For a reserve, Xu Sanshi."
Gongyang Mo stepped out of the lineup. His gaze paused on Lin Shuo for a moment before he took his place beside Dai Yueheng.
A bold smile curled Ma Xiaotao's lips as her gaze swept over the reserve students. "Bei Bei, Huo Yu'er."
Her choices surprised both the official team members and Xuan Zi. After all, Huo Yu'er had the lowest cultivation among the reserve students present. Jiang Nannan, for one, was already a Soul Ancestor.
Huo Yu'er glanced at Lin Shuo helplessly, her eyes filled with regret and amusement. She had been hoping to be on the same team as him. Meeting his gaze, she pursed her lips and silently mouthed, "Nothing we can do."
Lin Shuo's lips curved slightly. He nodded to show her it was all right.
Once both sides had made their choices, the remaining team members automatically joined their respective teams.
Ma Xiaotao's team consisted of herself, Xi Xi, Ling Luochеn, Yao Haoxuan, Chen Zifeng, Bei Bei, and Huo Yu'er.
Dai Yueheng's team consisted of himself, Lin Shuo, Gongyang Mo, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Xiao Xiao, and Wang Dong'er.
On paper, their strengths were worlds apart.
Xuan Zi's aged voice rang out. "Then let's begin at once. There's no need to discuss tactics. Practical combat is the best teacher."
"Begin!"
The instant the words fell, golden-red flames shot into the sky. Ma Xiaotao became a blazing meteor and hurtled straight at Lin Shuo. She made no effort to hide her intent: take out Lin Shuo, the four-ringed Soul Ancestor, first, then turn back to deal with Dai Yueheng. Before a Soul Emperor, a forty-fourth-level Soul Ancestor was the most obvious breakthrough point.
At the same time as Ma Xiaotao launched her attack, Xi Xi and Chen Zifeng moved as well. Xi Xi's figure flashed and vanished into the brilliance of Ma Xiaotao's flames. The Lightning Leopard was a Soul Beast renowned for its speed. Though Xi Xi's cultivation was a level below Ma Xiaotao's, she was even faster than her. The golden-red firelight provided perfect cover; no one could track the true path of her sudden attack.
A roar that shook the heavens erupted.
Yao Haoxuan's small frame swelled violently. His bulging muscles strained against his outer garment, while the highly elastic shirt beneath stretched with his expanding body. In the blink of an eye, the slender youth became a short, heavily muscled giant. He slammed both fists into the ground.
"Boom, boom, boom—"
First Soul Skill: Battle Intent.
Ling Luochеn summoned the Staff of Ice. Blue Soul Power flickered faintly around her.
"Boost me," Lin Shuo said coldly.
Gongyang Mo didn't hesitate for a moment. A pair of rainbow-colored wings slowly unfurled behind him. They were so beautiful they seemed otherworldly, their seven hues shimmering and intertwining across the feathers, as if a rainbow had been cut into the shape of wings. When he beat them and rose into the air, it was as though a rainbow had ascended from nowhere, so dazzling that no one could look away.
The power of red, the soul of orange, and the speed of yellow. Three Soul Rings lit up at once.
Four radiant pillars of light, like rainbows, descended from above and precisely enveloped Lin Shuo, Dai Yueheng, Jiang Nannan, and Xu Sanshi.
But Ma Xiaotao's fist was already upon them.
Her right fist was wrapped in the blazing fire of the Evil Fire Phoenix. The air shrieked beneath its force, warping and twisting in the scorching heat. Yao Haoxuan's Battle Intent boost raised her attack power another level. A streak of crimson ran through the golden-red flames—the color of Battle Intent mingled with Evil Fire.
Lin Shuo didn't retreat. The First and Second Soul Rings beneath his feet lit up.
Seven-colored light burst from within him as the power of his dragon bloodline surged from the depths of his veins. His body didn't grow, but his presence changed utterly in an instant. A faint seven-colored radiance flowed over his skin. It wasn't a Soul Power barrier, but a sign that his flesh had been fully awakened by the dragon bloodline. First Soul Ring: Seven-Colored Dragon Body.
Then seven-colored light gathered over his body, forming a layer of translucent armor. The dragon armor wasn't a heavy suit of full-body plate, but a sleek, flowing battle armor that clung to his body, covering his chest, back, shoulders, and arms. Seven-colored patterns rippled across its surface, slowly breathing as if it were alive. Second Soul Ring: Seven-Colored Dragon Armor—a purely defensive Soul Skill that manifested the power of a dragon's scales, its defense far surpassing that of any shield-type Soul Skill of the same level.